Conveyor belt scraper blade and a method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A conveyor belt scraper blade configured to scrape off material from a conveyor belt surface. The conveyor belt scraper blade includes a supporting shell structure presenting a scraper tip at a first end and a mounting base at a second, opposite, end and being tapered towards the scraper tip at least at the first end, and one or more scraper elements arranged within the supporting shell structure so as to at least partially fill an interior thereof at the first end. The supporting shell structure is made of a first material and the one or more scraper elements are made of a second material, and wherein the first and second materials are different. A method for manufacturing a conveyor belt scraper blade is also provided.

1 . A conveyor belt scraper blade having an extension along a scraper axis and configured to scrape off material from a conveyor belt surface along a scraping region extending in parallel with said scraper axis,
 said conveyor belt scraper blade comprising:
 a supporting shell structure presenting a scraper tip at a first end and a mounting base at a second, opposite, end and being tapered towards the scraper tip at least at the first end, and 
 one or more scraper elements arranged within the supporting shell structure so as to at least partially fill an interior thereof at the first end 
 wherein the conveyor belt scraper blade is structured and arranged to wear off during use and the one or more scraper elements are arranged with respect to the supporting shell structure such that the one or more scraper elements, at the end of a service life of the conveyor belt scraper blade, is fully or partially worn off, 
 wherein the supporting shell structure is made of a first material and the one or more scraper elements are made of a second material, and wherein the first and second materials are different. 
   
     
     
         2 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting shell structure completely encloses the one or more scraper elements in directions being transverse to the scraper axis. 
     
     
         3 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 2 , wherein the supporting shell structure has a constant cross-sectional profile along the scraper axis. 
     
     
         4 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 3 , wherein the supporting shell structure is manufactured by an extrusion process, an injection moulding process, or a 3D printing process. 
     
     
         5 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises polyurethane or a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         6 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material is biodegradable and/or biobased. 
     
     
         7 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material has a higher hardness than the second material. 
     
     
         8 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises one or more from the list of: a thermoplastic elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, and polyethylene. 
     
     
         9 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 1 , wherein an interior of the supporting shell structure comprises a plurality of portions each defining a respective interior volume, said plurality of portions including:
 one or more scraper portions each of which are filled with a respective one of the one or more scraper elements, and   one or more hollow portions.   
     
     
         10 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more hollow portions comprises a first hollow portion which is located within the mounting base. 
     
     
         11 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more hollow portions comprises a second hollow portion which is located between the mounting base and the one or more scraper portions. 
     
     
         12 . The conveyor belt scraper blade according to  claim 9 , wherein adjacent portions of the plurality of portions are separated from each other by a separating structure which interconnects opposing walls of the supporting shell structure. 
     
     
         13 . A conveyor belt scraper assembly for scraping off material from a conveyor belt surface, comprising:
 a plurality of conveyor belt scraper blades according to  claim 1 , and   a support shaft structured and arranged to support said plurality of conveyor belt scraper blades, and   tensioning means configured to exert a torque or a force onto the support shaft for pressing the plurality of conveyor belt scraper blades towards the conveyor belt surface.   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a conveyor belt scraper blade, comprising the steps of:
 a) manufacturing a supporting shell structure made of a first material having a scraper tip at a first end and a mounting base at a second, opposite, end and being tapered towards the scraper tip at least at the first end, and   b) arranging one or more scraper elements made of a second material within the supporting shell structure so as to at least partially fill an interior thereof at the first end.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of manufacturing the supporting shell structure is achieved by an extrusion process, an injection moulding process, or a 3D printing process. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of arranging the one or more scraper elements within the supporting shell structure comprises:
 supplying the second material in liquid form into the supporting shell structure so as to at least partially fill an interior thereof at the first end,   whereby the second material binds with the first material of the supporting shell structure to form a coherent structure during cooling.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second materials are different.